Details of drug awareness campaigns outlined by HSE

The HSE was allocated €15,000 annually on ‘drug trend work’
and public awareness campaigns between 2015 and 2018, the Medical Independent can
report.

Drugs.ie, previously managed by the Ana Liffey Drug Project,
developed and launched four campaigns during this period.

According to the Executive, the campaigns were as follows: ‘What’s
in the Pill?’ in 2015; ‘What’s in the Powder?’ in 2016; ‘GHB’ (liquid ecstasy)
in 2017; and ‘Cocaine – reduce the harms’ in 2018.

“During this time, €15,000 was allocated annually for
emerging drug trend work and campaigns,” according to Dr Eamon Keenan National
Clinical Lead, HSE Addiction Services.

“It is not possible at this time to extrapolate specific
costs for the … campaigns as this budget was within the Service Level Agreement
for the Online and Digital Service Team situated in the Ana Liffey Drug
Project.”

Dr Keenan stated the national strategy ‘Reducing
Harm, Supporting Recovery: a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in
Ireland 2017-2025’ advocates for a harm reduction approach to the misuse of
drugs.

The current strategy requires the development of harm
reduction interventions targeting at risk groups. The strategy mentions
campaigns carried out by Drugs.ie and the HSE such as the awareness campaign on
the use of GHB/GBL or the ‘What’s in the Pill’ as examples of targeted
campaigns.

The ‘What’s in the pill?’ campaign is an ecstasy harm
reduction campaign worked on in collaboration by DIT, TCD, UCD and the Ana
Liffey Drug Project. The project includes the distribution of posters and fact
sheets around campus, as well as additional information online, on social media
and on Drugs.ie.

Dr Keenan also stated that in 2017, the HSE National Social
Inclusion Office allocated €1,250 to collaborate with the Union of Students in
Ireland on the ‘What are you taking?’ campaign.

He added: “In 2018, the management of Drugs.ie transitioned
to the HSE National Social Inclusion Office. Since this changeover, €1,562 was
allocated to the ‘Safer Student Nights’ campaign and €10,614 on the HSE
national festival campaign, which included outreach to 3 festivals this
summer”.

Dr Keenan provided the information in response to a
parliamentary question from the then Fianna Fáil Deputy John Curran on the
subject of public awareness campaigns on the dangers of casual drug use.

Mr Curran lost his seat in the Dublin Mid-West constituency
in the 2020 general election.